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buddhism
November 2009 
The Buddha ignores high tech
Cinc
Thesis:
High tech gadgetry doesn't seem to matter to Buddhists. And for good reason.
A most curious matter:
My source for what follows is the highest of Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings, The Lotus Sutra*. The Lotus is replete with references appropriate to ancient times, especially to a non-mechanized, agrarian society. I wondered, though, if the Lotus (which is supposed to be older than the known age of the universe) has any references to high tech. Since it speaks of other countries far beyond earth having existed for millions of years, it would seem to make sense that these lands had at least acquired our level of machination.
Yet the Lotus says almost nothing of these technologies.
I said, "almost nothing." Consider this, from the Lotus's Chapter 7:
QUOTE [page 122]:
[Shakyamuni] Buddha announced to the monks: "When the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence [GUWE] attained [Enlightenment], five hundred ten thousand million Buddha worlds in each of the ten directions trembled and shook in six different ways...
"...a great light shone everywhere, completely filling the worlds and surpassing the light of the heavens...At that time in five hundred ten thousand millions lands in the eastern direction the Brahma palaces shone with a brilliant light that was twice its ordinary brightness, and the Brahma kings each thought to himself, Now the brilliance of the palace is greater than ever in the past...
At that time [these] Brahma kings... accompanied by their palaces [my emphasis - Steve] ...journeyed together to the western region .... They saw the Great Universal Wisdom Excellence Thus Come One in the place of practice...
"...each [king] took his palace and presented it to the Buddha, speaking these words [in unison!]: ‘...We beg you to accept and occupy these palaces that we present.'"
:UNQUOTE.
My interpretation
I believe these kings used their (mobile) palaces as traveling machines to visit that Buddha (GUWE Thus Come One). Furthermore, considering how far these kings had to travel, there's no doubt in my mind that these traveling machines operated using the highest principles of technology. They were able to convey these kings quickly and without regard to the kinds of limitations which we endure - for instance, that it's not possible to travel faster than the speed of light.
[Well, it isn't possible to travel faster, but it is possible to travel better.]
I believe that such a high technology exists, though it had no attraction to those who'd possessed it. This is evident by the fact that these kings were offering their palaces to the BUWE Buddha, which would leave them no way to get home! Correction: "...with no tech vehicle to get home!"). They had no intention of going home, at least not right away. They implored the Buddha to enlighten them by means of what is (ironically enough) called the Great Vehicle Law.
Once they were to attain Buddhahood by practicing this Law, then they would be able to travel back home - without means of their palatial vehicles. One of the powers of a Buddha is to be able to travel anywhere - at will. More than that: To be in several distant places at the same time.
With that kind of Enlightened power, who needs technology?
Steven Searle (was) candidate for U.S. President in 2008
"Technology is way overrated. I mean, did the proliferation of word processors make people better writers?" - Steve.
The Best Party Available
* The Lotus Sutra, as translated by Burton Watson.
Contact me: bpa_cinc@yahoo.com
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An interesting interpretation there, Steve. I must admit that all the times I have received teaching on this Sutra, not once have I heard it spoken of like this. I read “… accompanied by their palaces” to mean, “and accompnaied by their retinew”
Since “retinue” is mentioned often in the Lotus, I can see why some might assume “palaces” to have that meaning. However, if “retinue” was meant, then the following part of the quote wouldn’t make sense:
“…each [king] took his palace and presented it to the Buddha, speaking these words [in unison!]: ‘…We beg you to accept and occupy these palaces that we present.’”
Also, I found out that Hendrik Kern (1833-1917) had interpreted the character which others had thought of as meaning “palaces” as “celestial cars.” Now that really gave me pause. Anyone who watched old episodes of Flash Gordon could appreciate how “palaces” and “celestial cars” could be one and the same. [I’m thinking of Ming’s city which floated high in the sky.]